Singapore-based Filipino artist ICEBOX is mighty happy with his growing presence in the Philippine music scene.

ICEBOX was born in the Philippines and spent his early childhood here before moving to Singapore, where he completed his education and eventually became a permanent resident. His parents made sure he retained his connection to the Filipino language by speaking Tagalog at home.

As his music career grew, he began returning to the Philippines more frequently: now visiting two or three times a year.

Growing up between Singapore and the Philippines, he experienced the challenges of coming from a separated family and the loneliness that accompanied it. Music eventually became his outlet for processing those emotions.

“I always want to take my listeners to a journey,” he then said, explaining that he focuses on the small details that can make a song feel intensely personal to the person it was written about. His appreciation for OPM comes from that storytelling tradition. ICEBOX believes the genre continues to evolve while retaining its ability to tell deeply immersive stories in Filipino.

He pointed to artists across different generations and genres, noting that despite their varying sounds, what connects them is their ability to bring listeners into a story.

Looking ahead, ICEBOX has several dream collaborations in mind, including Zack Tabudlo, whom he openly called out during the interview. “Hi, Zack,” he said with a laugh. “If you ever see this, hit me up on IG. We’ll cook something together.”

ICEBOX admires Tabudlo’s ability to produce his own music while continuously evolving without losing his distinct identity.

Despite being Singapore-based, ICEBOX does not see himself as simply an “honorary OPM” artist. Instead, he considers himself part of a new space between Filipino and international music. “I’m not so limited to OPM, but I’m not exclusive to English songs either,” he said.

Rather than choosing between his Singaporean base and Filipino roots, ICEBOX hopes to bring both worlds together; sharing what he loves about Philippine music with audiences elsewhere while reconnecting with the culture that has always remained part of him.

As for his own artistic identity, ICEBOX describes his music as an outlet for people who may struggle to process their emotions. “I want ICEBOX and all of the songs that I make to be your outlet for you to fully accept and reflect and feel what your heart is supposed to feel,” he said.

For him, ICEBOX is more than a name or a Spotify artist profile. He wants the music to feel like “that friend you have on a Sunday night” when you feel alone but realize someone is there.